The Journalist
The Journalist is the narrator of the ten Mysterious Tapes. He is an old man by the time Story Mode begins with a dead wife and a single daughter. Description "In the 80s, a young man began a promising career as an investigative journalist. He was phenomenal at his job, and was quickly making a name for himself all throughout the nation of Japan. Unfortunately, he may have been TOO good at his job... While investigating a murder in 1989, he correctly identified the perpetrator of the crime. Due to the unusual nature of the case - a schoolgirl accused of murdering a classmate for the sake of love - the media chose to sensationalize the case, resulting in international attention. However, the young murderess was able to escape a guilty verdict by manipulating the emotions of the court, and tricking the world into thinking that the journalist only accused her of murder for the sake of sensational headlines. As a result of that court case, his reputation was permanently damaged, and his career as a journalist was over. He spiraled into depression and alcoholism. Nobody knows what became of him after he fell out of the public eye. His current whereabouts are unknown." Backstory This particular journalist used to be fairly happy when he was younger. In the April of 1989 his career as a journalist peaked and he learned of a murder at a local high school, Akademi High. He dived further into the case and learned of Ryoba Aishi, a girl who he saw stalking one of her seniors. This journalist saw Ryoba stalk other girls as well, along with said girls being subject to bullying, facing expulsion from the school, and other difficulties. The journalist finally determined that Ryoba was indeed the culprit he was looking for, as the girl murdered in the April of 1989 had a crush on the same senior Ryoba stalked. The journalist had decided to take Ryoba into custody. With a case like this everyone grew quite curious, making the investigative journalist hopeful that this could boost his career. The real outcome was the exact opposite: Ryoba manipulated the court and convinced them that she was innocent and that the journalist was a "dirty pervert who enjoyed leering at schoolgirls" and a "fame-seeking yellow journalist."' After that, the journalist was threatened by Ryoba Aishi. She explained to him that if he ever stood in her path, she could easily make his death look like a suicide. The year after that was hell for him, and that was when he met his future wife. She was incredibly clingy and possessive, but she accepted him at the worst part of his life, which is all he really needed. They got married six months after meeting each other. She died giving birth to his only child. The journalist's daughter practically had to raise herself while he, in his eyes, was a "deadbeat drunk who couldn't hold down a job." He neglects his daughter and fears her whenever she comes home with blood on her. Sometime before Yandere-chan's first day of high school, the journalist stalks Ryoba and realizes that she is about to commit yet another murder. Whatever his decision was, he ends up being found by Ryoba and decides to leave the country, in fear that she will follow and kill him. In Mysterious Tape #10 he tells his daughter that he loves her and leaves the tapes all around school campus for her to find. Relationships His Daughter The journalist has an extremely strained relationship with his daughter, as he has neglected her since birth. The fact that his daughter has seemingly been engaging in suspicious activity doesn't help matters. Nonetheless, the journalist cares for her and warns her of Ryoba Aishi, as shown in Mysterious Tape #10. Ryoba Aishi The journalist could never see Ryoba the same way again, not after what she has done to him. When he looks at her, it's difficult not to be "consumed in disgust." The journalist will do whatever he can to get Ryoba into jail after her numerous crimes. Ryoba, on the other hand, seems to see the journalist as a nuisance, or at the very least not an arch-nemesis of sorts. Trivia *He is voiced by Bradley Gareth. Category:Canon Characters Category:Adults